St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-25
STORIES OF mlLLloNaiREs.

IL is Dy no means easy TO tell what Will
amuse a millionaire, says Blakely Hall in
the New York World. i knew one little
chap who inherited a vast fortune one Mon
day and developed a hot blooded lust for
variegated waistcoats within the week He
would wander about his accustomed haunts
with distraught and expectant look for
days at time. We knew by that that
something new in waistcoats was 1npend-
ing, and when it was finally produced its
owners face glowed with a mellow radiance
that was infantile and touching. There
was, just before the holidays, period of
gloom, dependency, and sorrow so length
ened and austere that great apprehension
was felt. but it was cleared away by the
appearance on Fifth avenue, one bright De-
cember day, of about the most amazing
thing in waistcoats that the century has
seen. 1t consisted in the main of brilliant
yellow, with dashing superstructure of
purple and gold stars. Scattered about
were fac SMILES of the owners coat-of-
arms in silver and mimic representations of
his crack race-horse taking hurdle be-
decked with his colors. 1t was bound in
white cord and the buttons were works of
art in bronze and gold. At present the
youth rejoiceS in the possession OF 10
WaistcoatS. L speak by the card, for Eve
seen them.
There is among the frequenters or Del
moncos small, pudgy and blase gentle
man. who recently inherited through the
death of his sturdy old father means of dis
couraging amplitude. Prior to this acuuisi-
ton of wealth he was timid and inoffen-
sve young person, distinguished by nothing
more remarkable than weak eyes and the
aroma of cheap cigarettes. but when he
grew rich he developed fondness-indeed
a pasSion-for sitting in the cafe snugly
enscOnced behind huge collar and staring
holly at his reflection in mirror He
purSneS this pastima with undertaking de-
votion day after day, only pausing at times
to raise his chin, fix waiter with his auto
cratic eye and drawl: "Heah, fellow!
SIN absinthe." He isn't very popular.
In many instances the richer the man the
simpler his idea of amusement. 1t is no
unusual sight to see one of New York's
rich men driving Fifth avenue stage I'D OF
down town, with the regular driver sitting
calmly at his side and [ have often seen
the son of the late president of the Eighth
Avenue railroad company drive the big
siXteen-horse sweeper down town after a
heavy fall of snow. AS everybody knows
two miIlionaireS drove daily coach from
last season just for amuSements sake
while two other affiuent members of the
Knickerbocker club manned Third avenue
car during the hottest days of the strike
and made the trip to the city hall and back
in safety.
But the amuSementS of millionaireS are
not all so innocent as these. One OF the
most brutal and savage prize-fights / ever
saw was in the stable of man who owns a
magnificent country place on the Hudson.
The men had fought to a stand-Still and
were clinging to one another feebly to keep
from falling, while the blood dripped from
dozen wounds and their faces were bat
tered out of all human semblance, but the
crowd of pallid and nervous moneyed men
urged them pitilessly on. There are three
well-known New Y DIRK cluJ men of great
wealth who have no higher ambition than
this Gifted with vast fortunes and in
command of limitless possibilities, they
have no interests outside the doings of
pugillsts, plug-uglies, and bruisers. and are
happest when watching two fellow-men
struggling to see which can inflict the most
injury on the other.
A whimsical man of wealth amused HIM
self during the long nights last summer by
dining in his library and feeding an army OF
cats that prowled about the yard. He
would eat little and then hang out of the
window with bit of bird in his hand and
converse at great length with the cats while
they struggled and fought below. A fter
tantalizing them sufficiently ne would toss
the morsel to them and then hug himself
delightedly while the cats cawed each
other in their efforts to get at the food
The millionaire was always attended CD
such occasions by smug-faced and reti-
cent butler, who regarded his ragarieS with
the most austere approval. After every
escapade with the cats the millionaire
would chuck the morose butler under the
chin roguishly, and, resuming his seat. pep
per the unhappy servitor with bread crumbs
during the rest of tile dinner.